Between worrying about whether my Tupperware container can be microwaved or my plastic water bottle contains BPA, it’s a miracle I have any time to eat at all.  (!)  With all of this concern about containers, I recently turned my attention to skin care containers, wondering if they could potentially be harmful as well.  While there are no likely estrogenic or carcinogenic effects from any of the containers I reviewed (whew!), there were a few other concerns I had, such as:

1.) You might have fecal matter bacteria in your makeup.

If a cream is available in a jar or a tube, select the tube.

If you could apply a skin care cream that 50 people had stuck their finger in, or a fresh one, which would you pick?  That’s essentially the question you’re asking yourself when considering a jar versus a tube.  Granted, all 50 people in this metaphor are you, but you get the general idea.  With each application, you transfer bacteria from your finger into the bacterial breeding ground that is your moisturizer.   According to dermatologist Dr. Jeannine Downie, M.D., “You can find staphylococcus, you can find micrococcus…and if you’re very unlucky…E. coli, which is obviously from fecal matter.”  (source)

Add in the fact that light and air also hit the top surface of your cream every time you open the jar, breaking down unstable antioxidants, and you’ve got me seriously wondering why any moisturizer comes in a jar.

2.)  Tubes still expose your skin care cream to air, breaking down its potency.

Antioxidants such as retinol and vitamin C break down quickly upon exposure to light and air.  The problem is that seemingly air-tight tubes will draw in air during the push-out and suck-back between the inside and outside of the package. The only alternative?  Airless pump bottles, which pumps up from the bottom by a plunger, so no air is trapped inside a product.

3.)  Clear bottles offer little protection for antioxidants.

Back when I was younger and had more time on my hands, I used to go to ULTA and Sephora and marvel at how many of their vitamin C creams had partially oxidized and turned yellow or brown in their packages.  It was amazing to me – how much, if any, more could it cost to package a product in an opaque container?  At any rate, given that many antioxidants break down upon direct light exposure, it is best to wrap your clear containers in aluminum foil.

4.)  Many products break down after one month of opening.

It’s always tempting in our hyperconsumer culture to buy in bulk.  I myself could save a few hundred dollars each year if I were to buy the bulk size of Skinceuticals CE Ferulic instead of the regular, but I refuse to do it.  Why?  Again, antioxidant stability:  Every time I open the bottle, I am losing a small amount of product potency.

As a general rule of thumb, products containing retinoids break down within a month of opening.  I tend to apply this rule to all of my antioxidant-containing products, not just retinoids.

5.)   Lip products are breeding grounds for bacteria.

Just like moisturizer jars, lip glosses will tend to breed many types of bacteria therein.  Even if you never share makeup, it is good policy to wipe your lipstick or gloss off with a tissue before and after each application.  After all, if the average woman eats 7 pounds of lipstick in her lifetime, well, you can only imagine how much bacteria is included with each application.  Ew.  So, keep the bacteria minimal by keeping your packages clean.

In lieu of a few challenges and other commitments recently, I’ve decided to take a breather and return to blogging fresh for the new year on January 01, 2012.

Please feel free to submit any questions or ideas for posts you may have to me at nicki[at]futurederm[dot]com, or use our Comment form.

Happy Holidays!

How to Enter

To enter, wait for the Rafflecopter widget to load below. You’re more than welcome to leave comments, but they will not earn entries into the contest. Each action in the Rafflecopter widget (below) earns you another entry. Actions will only be counted one time – even if you click on the widgets on the other participating blogs. You may tweet once per day – just come back here (or any of the blogs listed above) and submit a new tweet! 18+, International Entries are welcomed!

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Bonus: Remember to enter the awesome FutureDerm.com-only October giveaway for a free Dr. Jart++ Beauty Balm! 

1. Make mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes.

Although skinned potatoes only have 57 calories per cup, cauliflower has just 28 (CalorieCount.com). Still, there’s a better reason than 30 calories: Cauliflower has a much lower glycemic index than potatoes, keeping blood sugar more stable and you feeling fuller for longer. Plus, mashed cauliflower is super delicious and hard to tell from mashed potatoes! Simply steam some fresh or frozen cauliflower in the microwave. Then spray the cauliflower with butter substitute, add a little nonfat half-and-half substitute, and puree in a food processor or blender. Still craving that sour cream sensation? Try yogurt!

2. Use a bigger fork.

A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research shows that restaurant-goers who eat with forks that are 20% bigger than a normal fork eat less food. There are a few explanations for this. Discomfort, for one, could make you more inclined to subconsciously weigh the benefits of eating versus the detriments of holding such a heavy utensil for so long. Another possible explanation? When people use small forks to eat, they feel like they are not making much progress in their meal (Time).

3. Eat using the wrong hand.

Research published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin shows that eating with your non-dominant hand decreases food consumption. There are many proposed reasons for this, but I again think it comes down to making yourself aware that you are eating. The more obstacles you place between yourself and eating, the less inclined you are to continue when you are full.

4. Eat your food over a blue placemat.

Color psychologists state that if people were to prepare and eat their meals on blue plates, or keep a blue light in their fridge, they would lose their appetite. According to writer Abby Willow of Yahoo!, blue is just plain a color of danger, way back to the days of our ancestors, and visualizing the color blue today just doesn’t bring up any food at all. Not eating at home? Close your eyes briefly and visualize the color blue!

5. Substitute as many high-glycemic index foods with low-glycemic index (GI) foods as possible.

A quick rule of thumb: The more processed the food, the higher its GI; the higher a food’s fiber content, the lower its GI. So choose foods with less processing and high fiber, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Still lost? Consult a glycemic index table; I recommend the one from SouthBeach Diet Plan.com.

Bottom Line

Don’t let yourself fall victim to mindless eating. Use a blue placemat, heavy utensils, and eat using the wrong hand. And if you are truly hungry, make yourself full on as few calories as possible by selecting low-glycemic index foods – that is, those that have little or no processing and are high in fiber.

Got a fitness tip? Tell all in Comments or the FutureDerm.com Facebook page!

Photo source: World’s Biggest Fork 2, a photo by Marshall Astor – Food Pornographer on Flickr.

Other Posts You May Enjoy

The bad news:  No daily giveaways were posted for the past 3 days!

The good news:  We get to play catch up now!  So four winners will be selected on Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 11:59 EST to win a two-pack of Mederma: Skin Care for Scars!

Just answer today’s question to be entered to win:  When do you feel most beautiful?   I feel most beautiful after I’ve worked out, showered, and have gotten ready to go out!  I always feel like I have an extra glow after a great workout.  What about you?

Resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a phytoalexin, a compound plants like grapes, berries, and peanuts produce naturally when under attack.  Though two distinct forms exist, cis-resveratrol and trans-resveratrol, the trans-formation has been found to be more stable chemically.  For my readers who are concerned about skin care and/or weight loss, there are five proven properties of resveratrol of particular interest:

1.  Resveratrol increases UVB protection when applied topically:  TRUE.

In a 2008 study published in Photochemistry and Photobiology, human skin cells treated with resveratrol prevented UVB-induced damage.  The mechanism?  Resveratrol inhibited the inflammatory NFkB pathway and decreased the skin cells’ production of hydrogen peroxide.  With reduced levels of inflammation, less damage accrued in the cells.

For you cell biologists out there, resveratrol has been found to specifically affect the NFkB pathway by inhibition of the MAPK pathway and targets in the regulatory protein cki-cyclin-cdk network (Cell and Molecular Biology review, 2008).   Therefore applying a cream containing resveratrol under a broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen appears to be a great extra means of protection at this time.  Unfortunately, no one has yet compared the sunscreen-boosting effects of resveratrol to other proven UVB-protection boosters like vitamin C or coffee berry.

2.  Resveratrol prevents and inhibits skin cancer formation in humans:  YET TO BE DEFINITIVELY PROVEN.  

The scientific community was ablaze during the past decade, when resveratrol was found in numerous studies to prevent and inhibit the growth of skin cancer tumors in mice.  Resveratrol prevents tumor formation and growth in several ways, including arresting DNA enzymes essential for tumor growth known as topoisomerase II enzymes (Cancer Letters, 2010).  

Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible for humans to get the ultra-high concentrations of resveratrol proven to slow or prevent tumor growth.  Even people who ingested 5 grams of resveratrol urinated about 77% of it out within 4 hours, and were only able to obtain a peak plasma concentration of 539 ng/mL resveratrol – not near the peak plasma concentrations found to slow tumor growth in mice (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention, 2008).

Focus has now shifted to compounds made when resveratrol is metabolized within the cells.  These compounds, classified as gluconurides and sulfates, are currently under investigation for potential chemopreventative properties.

3.  Resveratrol preserves and extends cell life:  YET TO BE DEFINITIVELY PROVEN.

Another current debate in the scientific community is whether or not resveratrol preserves and extends cellular life.  Those in the “yes” camp say resveratrol activates compounds called sirtuins.  Molecules that truly “do it all,” sirtuins act in two ways:

• 1.  Sirtuins downregulate p53, increasing lifespan, cell survival, and the protection of neurons (Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Patients, 2009).
• 2.  Sirtuins activate superoxide dismutase (MnSOD).  Superoxide dismutase production naturally increases in cells as a protective mechanism in times of acute stress, such as UV light, radiation, and certain tumors.  Overexpression of MnSOD has been shown to protect against pro-apoptotic stimuli (or pro-cellular death signals).  What’s more, MnSOD production naturally declines in prolonged conditions, such as cancer, aging, progeria, asthma, and transplant rejection (Free Radical Research, 2001).

So what’s the problem?  No one is really sure if resveratrol activates sirtuins in the first place.  Numerous studies suggest resveratrol does not influence sirtuin production, including a 2005 study in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, a 2009 study in Chemical Biology and Drug Design, and a 2010 study in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.  If resveratrol does not influence sirtuins or prevent tumor formation, then none of its other proven properties substantiate the claim resveratrol extends cell life.  Research thus far suggests resveratrol may protect against UVB-induced inflammation and damage, but that is all.

4.  Resveratrol helps you lose weight:  YET TO BE DEFINITIVELY PROVEN.

When you starve yourself or significantly reduce the number of calories you eat, your body naturally increases its number of sirtuins for a time.  Sirtuins will have the effects listed above, including increased lifespan and decreased energy utilization.

So, of course, researchers wanted to see if they could trigger sirtuins without the starvation.  (No pain and no weight gain!)  In one positive human trial, extremely high doses (3–5 g) of resveratrol significantly lowered blood sugar, which was of interest because stabilized blood sugar prevents feelings of hunger.  This 28-day study was conducted privately in India by pharmaceutical company Sirtris, but it has never been published in a peer-reviewed scientific publication, only alluded to in the press, including in a 2008 review in Current Opinion in Investigational Drugs.

If you’re ever curious if lowered blood sugar would decrease your appetite, talk to your physician about trying apple cider vinegar caplets.  When taken before a meal, they are proven to stabilize blood sugar for several hours (BMC Gastroenterology, 2007).  I tried this for a while, and I noticed a decrease in my appetite, though I was never sure if it was the decrease in blood sugar or the 8-oz glass of water required with the pills to ensure the vinegar didn’t tear through my stomach.  At any rate, it’s more proven than resveratrol to stabilize blood sugar at this point, which is why I’m mentioning it here.

5.  Resveratrol influences testosterone production, may be helpful in patients with breast cancer, and should not be used by pregnant women:  TRUE.

Resveratrol has been shown to increase testosterone production in rats.  The mechanism by which this occurs is two-fold: as a selective estrogen receptor modulator and an aromatase (estrogen-producing enzyme) inhibitor (Archives of Pharmaceutical Research, 2001).  What this means in plain English:  The body can bind to estrogen.  The body can also transform testosterone to estrogen through the action of the enzyme aromatase.   Resveratrol favors increased testosterone in both cases, preventing the body from binding to estrogen, and reducing the level of conversion of testosterone to estrogen.  The result?  More testosterone!

However, before women start throwing out their resveratrol pills, consider this:  Because breast cancer cells proliferate with increased levels of estrogen, resveratrol has been suggested as a potential novel inhibitor of breast cancer tumor growth (Cancer Research, 2001).

Photo source: red wine, originally uploaded by wu.peng.

LR 2412 = Jasmonic acid

When plants are under stress, such as attack or environmental strain, they will release jasmonic acid.  In turn, jasmonic acid triggers a number of pathways of increased resistance within the cells.  These pathways include increased immunity, resistance to wound formation, and even fruit formation – you couldn’t grow a potato without jasmonic acid release!

Of most interest to the skin care consumer?  Jasmonic acid has been shown to produce proteinase inhibitors, which effectively slow the breakdown of collagen and other proteins within the skin (The Plant Cell, 1992).

The forms of jasmonic acid found in Lancôme Visionnaire LR 2412, namely sodium tetrahydrojasmonate and tetrahydrojasmonic acid, are likely to be hydrating as well.  Jasmonic acid is a natural derivative of the hydrating fatty acid linoleic acid, so application will supplement your skin with some omega-3′s and omega-6′s in the right ratios as well.

Other Ingredients

Lancôme Visionnaire LR 2412 fails to dazzle in the way of other ingredients.  One of the four major ingredients is denatured alcohol, which is not one of the beneficial hydrating alcohols.  (Remember:  ”Steer toward the 4 C’s” for the hydrating alcohols – stearyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, cetostearyl alcohol, and the C12-15 alcohols.)

In the way of hydration, Lancôme Visionnaire LR 2412 is superior, with a number of silicones and a fair concentration of sodium hyaluronate, which can hold 1000 times its weight in water.  The level of hydration and the light-reflecting mica makes me curious as to why Lancome marked Visionnaire LR 2412 for 20-to-50 year olds rather than the 50-and-older crowd.  Older individuals would certainly benefit from the hydration and the delicate fine line+wrinkle-filling nature of the silicones, as well as the light reflection.  However, as I pointed out in a post about pixi Line Relax Serum, marketed for 40+ and excellent for teens and 20-somethings, sometimes you have to ignore the label to get the best results!

Bottom Line

If retinoids  did not exist, I would be on the bandwagon to purchase Lancôme Visionnaire LR 2412 immediately.  However, the truth of the matter is, retinoids not only inhibit collagen-degrading enzymes like jasmonic acid, but they additionally refine the surface of the skin, increase cell turnover, and decrease hyperpigmentation over time.

I read recently that the internet is increasing human knowledge at such a rate that it is doubling every 10 years.  If Lancôme and parent company L’Oréal want to release a groundbreaking product in the age of such an increasingly educated public, they need to release interesting new ingredients like jasmonic acid derivatives with proven anti-agers like retinoids, glycolic acid, niacinamide, soy extract, and antioxidants.  Just a dose of sodium hyaluronate isn’t going to cut it in the long-term.

Furthermore, the “study” Lancôme released is very disappointing.  In the study, Lancôme researchers interviewed a number of women about whether or not they wanted to have a cosmetic procedure.  After using Lancôme Visionnaire LR 2412 for several weeks, half of the women said they no longer wanted the cosmetic procedure.

What kind of study is this?!  Where is the double-blinded, controlled study?  Where is the actual measure of decrease in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles or increase in skin’s elasticity?  Where is the comparison to proven skin care ingredients?  With all due respect to Lancôme’s marketing team, we live in an increasingly educated era.  It’s time to cut the hype.  If you want to release a product that is going to have some degree of longevity in today’s market, you need to ensure your product has a strong scientific backbone.

So no, I won’t be purchasing Lancôme Visionnaire LR 2412, but I do look forward to Lancôme and/or L’Oréal releasing truly groundbreaking anti-agers with jasmonic acid derivatives and proven anti-agers in the future.  Hopefully this will happen!  Product Rating:  6/10  (High concentration of proven ingredients:  2/3.  Unique formulation or new technology:  3/3.  Value for the money: 1/3.  Sunscreen: 0/1).  

Ingredients in Lancome Visionnaire LR 2412 4% Serum
Aqua, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, Dipropylene glycol, Pentaerythrityl tetraethylhexanoate, Polysilicone-11, Dimethicone, Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone Polymethyl Methacrylate, CI 77891, Mica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Adenosine, Dimethiconol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium EDTA, Citronellol, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Parfum, sodium tetrahydrojasmonate, ammonium polyacrldimethtyltauramide/ammonium polyacryloydimethyl taurate, hydoxyethylellulose, argilla/magnesium aluminium silicate, tetrahydrojasmonic acid, Citronellol, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Parfum/Fragrance.

I love perusing the internet for interesting articles.  What excites me about Friday is I get to do just that in the name of “research.”  Without further ado, here’s the best of the best:

Beauty Blogs

• Beauty Info Zone reviews neat new multi-tasking moisturizers from Aromatherapies.
• Warning:  Don’t read this if you’re afraid of aging!  Elle gives the play-by-play in facial aging.  (May want to pour yourself a glass of wine first).
• Jezebel expresses love for Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 30 Sunscreen.  I like it too, though it made the coloring on my old cell phone rub off on my face (gross but true).
• Marie Claire discusses the new IV vitamin trend.  I’ve heard it does great things for patients with cancer, but I’m curious about the effects for the average person…
• Bored with your nails?  I’d been rocking beige, pink, and French manicures for years, but Makeup and Beauty Blog introduced me to Deborah Lippmann’s fall collection, and I might never go back to boring again…

 Fashion+Style Blogs

• Glamour shares the 5 best looks seen at Fashion Week
• Love Anthropologie?  Don’t trust their shopping service, that’s what Jezebel says
• Vogue shares 100 haute items under $100.
• New York Magazine’s The Cut reports The Gossip Girl fashion line is coming.
• Viva Fashion Blog reports how to get the hip pleated leather look of Alice+Olivia this season for just $15.

Photo source:  young beautiful smiling woman prints on the laptop – indoors, originally uploaded by HASLOO.

What are some of your favorite stories this week? Share in Comments, on Facebook, or Twitter!

For a long time now, a lot of people have derided being too enthusiastic, eager, and passionate about life. Recent TV shows often make a parody of 50′s sitcoms, as characters say things like “Oh boy!” and “Gee wiz!” with big cheesy smiles on their faces out of jest.

Yet, by that same token, people like Stephen Colbert, Conan O’Brien, Maya Rudolph, and Gary Vaynerchuk (WineTV) are killing it because they’re not afraid to be “out there.” Call them cheesy, but their hijinks make them popular. These are men and women who are absolutely unafraid to be true to their most authentic selves. Want to grin with spinach on your teeth in front of millions? Maya Rudolph did just that, in one of the summer’s highest grossing movies (Bridesmaids). Want to start your show with chants of your name (Stephen Colbert) or by leaping over an invisible hurdle (Conan O’Brien)? Apparently, it will win you millions of viewers, and a more college-educated audience than CNN (Source:  LiveScience.com).

The key here is being authentic. You can’t become someone you’re not, try as hard as you may. Imagine Chelsea Handler trying to be Grace Kelly. Or vice versa. Chelsea would look ridiculous in the buttoned-up cardigans, but can you imagine Grace Kelly saying anything that would get you rolling on the floor laughing?! Each has her own allure, but you have to take the best of what makes you unique, cultivate it, and not be afraid of judgment or criticism.

Maybe you’re thinking you don’t need to be more “out there” in order to make it big. But you’re wrong. Whether it’s an extroverted I’m-putting-You-Tube-videos-on-the-net type of getting out there, or a more introverted I’m-persisting-at-applying-for-my-dream-job-until-I’m-accepted type of persistence, you need to forget your pride now in order to reveal the best you tomorrow.

Let’s say you don’t. If you sit back and continually criticize or make fun of people who have the ability to be “out there,” you are not only being complacent, but you also become snarky and sarcastic over time. You lose the ability to be genuinely enthusiastic everyday. I’d rather come across as cheesy and trying too hard than lazy and apathetic. You can work with trying too hard – get the books, listen to the audio tapes, take a class on communications, learn how to tone it down, and communicate more effectively. Yet you can never turn a couch potato into a rose garden.

So don’t be afraid of being “too much.” Only be afraid of not growing or never knowing.

What’s your favorite source of inspiration? Share in Comments, on Facebook, or Twitter!

Photo source:  Level Ambiguity, a photo by a.k.a. Flash on Flickr.